The whoopie pie, also known as black moons, black-and-whites, bobs, or "BFO" for Big Fat Oreo, is an all-American treat loved and devoured by many, yet there is a lot of folklore surrounding how it came to be. But before we start with the complicated history of the whoopie pie, let’s explore what exactly is a whoopie pie.
It is not, in fact, a pie at all.
Well, it’s hard to say. It can be considered a cookie, pie, sandwich, or cake. It looks like a sandwich, and is made of two round mounds traditionally made from cake batter, filled with a sweet creme between the two, either frosting or marshmallow creme. The classic whoopie pie is made with chocolate cake and a vanilla flavored filling, but today there are hundreds of variations! Whoopie pies are delicious treats that are easy to take on the go, and avoids mess with the frosting on the inside.The whoopie pie origin is quite contested by a few states. While the Amish in Pennsylvania lay claim to these delectable treats saying that Amish wives used to make these cakes from leftover batter and frosting in the middle, and when the children (or husbands) would see them in their lunchpails they would shout “Whoopie!”, Maine fiercely contends this, pointing to Labadie's Bakery in Lewiston, Maine which has been selling these heavenly sandwiches since 1925 (and is still in business today!).
Then again, Bostonians point to the old Berwick Cake Company of Roxbury, Massachusetts which produced Whoopie Pies starting in 1931, and you can even see the faded words Whoopie Pie on the outside of the building today.
Maine is so set on staking their claim to the whoopie pie that they created an Annual Whoopie Pie day on June 25, a Whoopie Pie Festival which began in 2011, and have named the Whoopie Pie the official state treat of Maine (not to be confused with the blueberry pie, which is Maine’s official state dessert.) The Maine Whoopie Pie festival draws thousands of people every year, with dozens of vendors and thousands of whoopie pies to try from. Free samples and lots of flavors of the whoopie pie for purchase isn’t all the festival has to offer: live music, food, arts and crafts, vendors, and fun activities are available for the whole family!
Not to be outdone, Pennsylvania holds their own Whoopie Pie festival every year at Hershey Farm in Lancaster County, with over 400 whoopie pie flavors!
While Pennsylvania held the record for the largest whoopie pie at 250 lbs, Maine crushed that record with a whopping 1,062 lb whoopie pie in March, 2011. They cut it up and sold it to raise money to send whoopie pies overseas to American soldiers stationed abroad.
In some places, whoopie pies go by other names, like Gobs- a name trademarked by the Dutch Maid Bakery in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The word itself, whoopie, has its origin in the late 1800’s, and is used to express exuberance. It’s no wonder the name stuck for such a delightful treat that makes you want to shout ‘whoopie!’
But whoever actually made this treat, and despite all the controversy surrounding it, we don’t have time to argue because we’re too busy nom nom nomming on this delicious snack!
As whoopie pies are a cake-cookie or a cookie-cake, the batter will be thicker than cake batter but not as thick as cookie batter. The basic ingredients include butter and sugar, eggs, vanilla, milk or buttermilk, flour, baking soda and whatever flavor variations you want to use.
The batter is then scooped onto baking sheets and baked, with the mounds fluffing up into the half moon shapes that will form the outside of your sandwich. The frosting is made, applied to one cake, and stuck together only to be devoured a short time later by eager mouths. And be sure you have lots of milk to wash it down with!
While whoopie pies are traditionally hand-held snacks that are easily taken on the go for lunch, you can find recipes for extra-large whoopie pies, and even mini whoopie pie recipes. These are great for family gatherings or parties, and are sure to draw a crowd.
There are thousands of different whoopie pie recipes with so many choices for the cakes and icing. Here is a list of our top favorite flavors:
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Salted caramel
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Pumpkin butterscotch
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Chocolate cake with mint filling
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Red velvet
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Chunky monkey
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Orange creamsicle
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Coconut espresso
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Chocolate raspberry
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Wild blueberry
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Banana
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Butterfinger
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Cappuccino with salted caramel ganache
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Lemon with raspberry filling
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Autumn spice cake whoopie pies
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Lavender Whoopie Pies With Vanilla Bean Frosting
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Sweet Potato
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Strawberry Shortcake
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Peanut butter and jelly
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Chai Snickerdoodle
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Carrot with cream cheese frosting
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Boston Cream
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Brownie batter
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And a sweet-savory combination of Jalapeño Cornbread Whoopie Pies With Honey Buttercream
Now, for those who want to have a delicious homemade whoopie pie without having to do all the research for the best recipe, and without having to buy and measure a bunch of ingredients, check out our Whoopie Pie Baking Kit. It comes with pre-measured ingredients and a clear recipe and instructions, for the little bakers in your life. They’ll have a blast with this kit, which also includes an educational lesson and a fun activity. There’s also a shopping list for any additional ingredients such as oil and eggs that you may need to buy.
To make the shapes, you don’t need any special baking sheet. Any greased baking sheet will do. Once the cakes are baked and cooled, it’s time to add the frosting. The kit is really easy for people of all ages and especially children to enjoy. Kids like to be in charge of their own kitchen, and now they get the chance. With Baketivity, kids get to experience new sensations, flavors and textures. Shapes and colors grab their imagination.
This is a great way to bond with children and let them explore and build skills in a fun and interactive way. And of course, at the end they get to eat their very own whoopie cookies!
Now that is truly a reason to say, “Whoopie!”
